An NHS trust in Scotland has asked for military support as it tries to cope with staff shortages amid the pandemic, it has been reported.
NHS Grampian is the latest trust in Scotland to ask for assistance after it was announced the military will be drafted into Lanarkshire and the Borders to relieve pressure ahead of winter.
The health board confirmed a request for military support had been made, BBC reports.
The trust also plans on interviewing more than 160 student nurses in hopes they can offer them places to help alleviate staffing pressures.
Jillian Evans, head of health intelligence at NHS Grampian, earlier told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland she was "really worried" about how the NHS would cope over the winter period.
It comes as the NHS is facing a perfect storm of frontline staff shortages and a lack of tests for coronavirus this winter.
To add to the grim mix, GP surgeries face delays of up to a month to get the flu vaccine.
More than 30 million Brits are being offered the influenza jab as part of the biggest NHS vaccination programme in history – but the sheer numbers involved have led to delays.
Dr Vishal Sharma, deputy chair of the British Medical Association’s consultant committee, recently said: “This is a perfect storm.
“In the first wave of the virus, we cancelled most operations, so there were more beds available and fewer patients overall.
“But now hospitals are pretty full because the winter pressure is starting and we are still doing elective work.
“Testing must be available and rapid because staff cannot be left waiting days and days for a test. Otherwise, we will have them off in their droves.
“Staff may also be suffering burnout from the first wave when they had their annual leave cancelled.”
Shadow health minister Jonathan Ashworth said on Saturday: “We are heading into the bleakest of winters. The Government has lost control of the virus. NHS staff have been pushed to the brink. They’re exhausted.
“The Health Secretary needs to put his shoulder to the wheel to give our brilliant, hard working doctors and nurses the resources and backing they need.”
Government figures from yesterday showed that Covid cases are up 23 per cent in a week as another 45,140 infections were recorded.
Last week, cases rose by over 35,700 - with days figures also showing deaths have increased by 57 in the last 24 hours.
Yesterday's rise is the largest since July 20th.
It comes as Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated data has revealed the overall surge in cases means that one in 60 people in the England have had Covid over the past week, compared to one in 45 in Wales, one in 80 in Scotland and one in 120 in Northern Ireland.
The Mirror Online has contacted NHS Grampian for a statement.
